


Fresh Kids

by taeilloveclub



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Crime, Don’t do what they do, Drinking, Drugs, Jungwoo is dtf, Kun’s a bit manic, Light Angst, Lucas is cool and gets beat up a lot, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Multi, Party, Polyamory, They all get beat up a lot, They do a lot of reckless things, Violent, and death, fun antics!, it’s kind of graphic, probably nsfw, roadtrip au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2019-10-14 12:35:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17508749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeilloveclub/pseuds/taeilloveclub
Summary: An unlikely trio made up of the fugitive barber, Jungwoo, the very erratic Kun, and a troublemaking thrill seeker, Lucas. The gang, under very illegal circumstances, embark on the road trip of a lifetime, paying no worry to  the consequences that are likely to ensue.(Inspired by 365 Fresh by Triple H)(T/W MENTIONS OF SUICIDE, DEATH, GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND ALCOHOL/DRUGS)





	1. Lucas

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my first multi-chapter work so hopefully you will enjoy this journey! I plan to make it as action packed as possible and will hopefully have it finished within a couple weeks.  
> Enjoy ✨  
> (I definitely recommend listening to Triple H’s 365 Fresh EP whilst reading this for obvious reasons)

Pursued by an unwelcoming mob, Lucas’ feet continued to carry him down the dim alleyway, touched only by breaking dawn light. His breaths became shallower with every step and soon he found himself slowing, falling to his knees as the jeers and heavy footsteps of his newly-made enemies approached. Twisting around to meet the four unforgiving faces of the inhumanly large men, Lucas raised his hands above his head.  
“Ha, okay fellas,” he began to speak, his tone cocky despite his compromised position. “Now I know we’re all a little riled up but I think there’s just been a bit of a misunder-“  
Lucas’ sweet talking was interrupted by a sharp kick to the throat, which left him face down on the cool ground, spluttering and gasping for air. He wasn’t given much time to catch his breath, however, as he was lifted by two pairs of strong arms and pinned roughly against a corrugated iron door, that wailed in response to the force. Lucas was then greeted by a punch directly on the nose, which left a piercing echo ringing in his ears.   
Spitting out the thick blood that caked his tongue, he lifted his throbbing head to make eye contact with a particularly frightening fellow, whose skin was more ink than flesh.   
“You thought you could outwit our boss, kid?” the man growled in a comically deep voice as he stepped towards Lucas.   
“You really fucked with the strongest gang in the entire eastern province over a couple ounces of coke?” He continued to taunt, so close to the young man that his rancid breath tickled his stinging nose. In response, a wide open-mouthed grin crept onto Lucas’ face, showcasing his stained teeth.   
“Yup, definitely wasn’t worth it, by the way. The drugs were pretty shit. It was like snorting sugar..”   
He was seriously asking for it, anyone would think the kid was either extremely stupid or suicidal when he was, in fact, the very opposite of both.   
Lucas’ snide remarks were not received well by the man just inches away from him, who responded with a powerful jab in the stomach which caused the younger to cry out.   
A short stocky man then stepped forward from out of seemingly nowhere , his eyes dark and hooded as he held out a small blade that he wielded.  
Lucas’ eyes momentarily widened in panic at the introduction of this weapon and he began to squirm under the firm grip of the gang members. Sure, he could take a few punches, but he really didn’t feel like losing any appendages any time soon.   
“That’s enough fellas.” A voice suddenly spoke out, which caused a wave of relief to roll through Lucas’ body.   
“Let’s not waste too much time on this kid, eh? He’s too dumb to die,” said a man with silver hair as he approached, dark sunglasses masking his eyes. He raised his arm, placing his hand on Lucas’ soft, thick hair, ruffling it roughly.   
“Let’s hope I don’t see you around, son,” he added as the mens’ tight grips on Lucas’ arms loosened and they let him to slide onto the bloodied ground.   
Despite his pulsating migraine, the battered boy waved cheerfully as the mob disappeared around the corner. Once they were out of sight, Lucas allowed his head to lull back, clutching his aching stomach. This wasn’t what he meant when he said he wanted his organs to be rearranged by a gang of beefy guys. Although one might think that this wasn’t exactly a successful outcome, Lucas chuckled to himself as he unclenched his fist, revealing the keys to none other than the boss-man’s Maserati.   
“Maybe I’m too dumb to die but I’m clearly not too dumb to hijack your car, Mr Gang Boss Guy,” he remarked as he rose to his feet with a series of grunts and whines. Now all Lucas had to do was locate the vehicle which wouldn’t prove to be too much of a challenge, considering it was possibly the only car worth more than ₩2,000,000 within a 10 mile radius. Swinging the newly-acquired keys around on his finger, Lucas whistled as he made his way towards the rooftop carpark across the street. Finally, with some serious wheels, he was going to have some real fun, even if ended where it began: in blood.


	2. Jungwoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, this is the second of the three character introduction paragraphs and definitely the longest of the three  
> Enjoy ✨  
> (I definitely recommend listening to Triple H’s 365 Fresh EP whilst reading this for obvious reasons)

The small barber shop was illuminated by the rufescent street lights and consumed entirely in a content silence, bar the ticking of the clock that hung on the wall.

Jungwoo, let out a small yawn, blinking deeply as he drew his eyes to the only source of noise in the room. The time read 11:28pm, way past the time any regular barber shop would be closing. Jungwoo, however, unlike other small business owners, couldn’t afford to have regular opening hours, given the immense debt his father left behind. He straightened his posture, and spun around to face his reflection in the wide mirror, smoothing out his apron. His final customer of the day would be there in a few minutes and Jungwoo felt a little uneasy, as he did with all his late customers. After all, regular, law-abiding citizens don’t get straight razor shaves at midnight in a back alley barbershop. Jungwoo took pride in his business, but the undesirable location tended to attract questionable customers. 

As he turned to the bench to sleepily prepare his tools, the familiar muffled ring of a bell echoed through the small room as a tall, chalky-skinned man entered.  
“Ah, hello Mr. Kim. You’re my final customer for today! Take a seat just here.” Jungwoo smiled, his voice unnaturally sweet as he gestured to the leather chair beside him. Without a word, the man sat, his dark, hooded eyes intensely trained on the young barber.  
“Such a pretty apron for a pretty boy,” he remarked breathily, eyeing the striped material tied around Jungwoo’s slim waist.  
The younger man gulped, his stomach dropping at the customer’s inappropriate words. He clenched his fist, willing away the tears that threatened to spill. Reminding himself of how desperate he was for the money, Jungwoo turned around with a small smile, sharpened blade in hand. Leaning forward and avoiding eye contact with Mr. Kim, he adjusted the chair so that the older man was leaning backwards.  
“Now, this is a straight razor shave if I remember correctly.” Jungwoo said to fill the deafening silence. The customer smirked and nodded as he lifted his hand to the young barber’s cheek, causing him to flinch. Unbothered by this, the customer let out a short laugh at Jungwoo’s rigidity.  
“I want my skin as smooth as yours, baby boy.”  
The other yelped, paralysed in place, as Mr. Kim pressed his free hand against Jungwoo’s denim-clad thigh. 

Coming to his senses, he stepped backwards until his back was pressed against the wall, still clutching the small razor blade. Growing aggressive, Mr. Kim rose from his seat, launching towards Jungwoo, grabbing his slender wrists tightly in doing so.  
“You look like a good boy yet you’re not playing nice,” he hissed through his teeth as hot tears began to escape Jungwoo’s unblinking eyes.  
“Play nice, Woo,” Mr. Kim threatened as his grip slid from the barbers wrists to his forearms, pinning them against the wall. Gaining flexibility in his hand, Jungwoo took a deep breath. With rich fear pulsing throughout his body, he angled the blade carefully at his attacker’s stomach. Thoughts raced through his mind so fast that he couldn’t comprehend them and it felt as if the entire world was falling away with every second that ticked by. As the older man’s lips crashed roughly against his own, Jungwoo pressed the blade into his attacker’s stomach, penetrating deeper than expected. Immediately loosening his hands, Mr. Kim stumbled backwards in blind shock, his eyes glassy as he groaned. Jungwoo stood, frozen in place, warm blood dripping from the blade that remained in his hand. What had he done? The other man cursed and cried out but Jungwoo did not hear him over the sound of his quickened heart thumping. 

Before he knew it, 60 whole seconds had ticked by in that little barber shop. Mr Kim no longer whined or swore vulgarly. In fact, he didn’t make any sound for that matter, as he lay on the linoleum floor. The wound from which a copious volume of blood had pumped fiercely just a moment ago, instead seeped.  
Jungwoo clamped his stained, trembling hands over his mouth as he observed the nightmarish scene before him. A rusty stench crept into his nose, tickling at his throat.  
“Murderer,” Jungwoo breathed shakily, unable to comprehend what he had done.  
“I’m a fucking murderer,” he said, louder this time.  
Head spinning rapidly, his knees buckled from under him and he sunk to the floor. Pushing the sickening guilt to the back of his mind, Jungwoo tore the apron from around his waist and began to robotically wipe at the crimson puddle before him. Within seconds, the apron was drenched in blood along with his slender hands. The traumatised man lifted them to the light, sickened by how they glistened wetly. He rocked back and forth slightly on his heels, trying to slow his whirling mind. 

With a pained sigh Jungwoo rose to his feet, and retreated to the back door of the shop, scrubbing his bloodied hands against his jeans. Struggling, he rattled impatiently at the handle, flinging the door open and gasping for the cool, fresh air. Jungwoo had monumentally and irreversibley screwed up. He knew that, although he had survived so much, this was something he couldn’t fix, especially alone. Fuck the debt, fuck the shop, fuck everything. He had to disappear and he had to do it now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! leave me a comment to let me know how i’m doing 💓💆♀️


	3. Kun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final introduction of Kun! I will try and update the next chapter within the next two days   
> Enjoy ✨  
> (I definitely recommend listening to Triple H’s 365 Fresh EP whilst reading this for obvious reasons)

Kun groaned loudly, unable to lift his head, groggy from the excessive amount of alcohol he had consumed the night before... or was it the night before that? The blonde boy wasn’t sure of how long he had been asleep but he felt frighteningly sober, so he assumed that it had been over 20 hours. He had fell into a pattern of drinking until he was black-out drunk and then passing out over the past few weeks, ever since Taeil left. Without the presence of the older boy, Kun’s life had somewhat dramatically spiralled. 

Uprighting himself in his unbearably lonely bed, the young man squinted as he peered out the window at the radiant full moon. He shook his head suddenly as deep jabs of pain pierced his heart once again. Within an instant, the comfortable daze of sleep washed away and Kun remembered why it felt like he couldn’t breathe. He slipped from under the covers and planted his feet on the carpet below.   
“I can’t live, can I, Moonie?” the agonised boy asked the empty room.  
“Not without you,” he added with a whimper. 

Trudging into the unoccupied kitchen, Kun carelessly flicked on the overhead light. He grabbed at a near-empty box of cigarettes paired with a lighter near the sink, lighting up the last of the packet. Heavily, the young chinese man made his way over to the small table where he once shared blissful morning coffees with Taeil. Amidst the array of magazines and unread sympathy cards sat an unfamiliar blue plastic bag. Kun reached towards it and observed the contents,  
still taking puffs from the cigarette that sat between his lips. It was a thick, slightly discoloured but still strikingly orange book. Pulling it from the bag, Kun squinted as he read the English printed on the cover.  
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote,” he mouthed before dropping the novel back on the table. Taeil must have bought it, he realised, on the day he died. A tight pressure squeezed at Kun’s chest as his weakened mind was flooded with dark thoughts again. Gingerly, he opened the book and, after tracing the paper with a quivering finger, tore out a random page, surprising himself at the sudden outburst. Without a second thought and a nearby pen in hand, the young man began to scrawl a frantic, illegible message, fat tears blurring his vision.

‘Dear the poor soul that finds my cold dead body, I’m sorry you had to see that. Looking at dead people really fucks you up, especially if it’s someone you know. I would know. I hope your health insurance covers PTSD. You may not understand why I’ve done what I’m about to do and you might not care but just know, I’m not really alive anymore. I’m more pain than I am human. I’ve suffered. I won’t anymore.  
Qian Kun.’

With his vision clouded, Kun spat his cigarette onto the tiled floor. Snatching the plastic bag from the table, he stumbled maniacally towards the drawers, pulling them open recklessly, rummaging through them in search of tape. When he finally found what he was searching for the panicked boy slid slowly onto the ground, choking back throaty sobs. He lowered his gaze to the materials in his hands, his breaths uneven and shallow.   
“All you have to do is put.. is put the b-bag on your head and ta... and tape it,” Kun coached himself, his hands unmoving.   
“Jus.. t fucking kill me,” he demanded his body to do the work for him but his arms remained numb and still. It was no use. No matter how much he thought he wanted it, something was holding him back. Beyond frustrated, Kun launched the tape at the opposite wall and allowed himself to cry for real, his burning cheeks streaked with continuous tears. He remained that way for a while, weeping on the floor whilst tugging fervently at his unwashed hair. Eventually, though, maybe a few minutes or a few hours lately, the sobs became sniffles and Kun’s bloodshot eyes were dry of tears. The pain was fresh in his heart, that was for sure, but, in this current moment, he was seriously itching for a smoke.   
“Fucking idiot,” Kun sighed as he stood up on unstable legs, “can’t even kill yourself right,” he cursed himself. Once upright, the erratically suicidal boy shrugged on Taeil’s unnecessarily oversized denim jacket, that still felt like his warm embraces. Leaving the door wide open, he ventured into the moonlight-bathed night in search of some cigarettes. Who knows, maybe he would throw himself in front of a car if he felt like it.


	4. Fugitive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so, the fugitive barber and the reckless car thief finally cross paths, or rather, Lucas nearly runs a frantic Jungwoo over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I haven’t updated this in so long!!! I suck!!!! It’s a fairly short update but it’s jsut something to get the story really going!! Our first two characters have met and I’m excited for some adventure!
> 
> As always, the same warnings apply, It can be quite graphic.
> 
> ENJOY CHAPTER 4!

Adrenaline was a powerful drug, pumping dangerously through Jungwoo as he pushed forward through a maze of alleyways. Everything was moving much too slowly and way too fast. He didn’t know where he was going, not at all. He just knew he had to get there. 

The narrow corridor he had turned into was long, extending into a seemingly empty backstreet. Jungwoo’s legs continued to move fiercely, even if he could barely keep his head upright. 

With a leap on shaky legs, he skidded into the backstreet. 

A screech, a light that seemingly came out of nowhere. Jungwoo was frozen. Of course some loser was driving his car around in the backstreets on the exact night that Jungwoo had become a fugitive. Instinctively, his blood-encrusted palms were raised high in the air. Surprisingly, he really wasn’t a pro at this. 

Like a deer preparing to be shot, the young barber turned his head towards the car that had screeched to a halt just a few footsteps away from him. It was an expensive sports car, way too expensive to be anyway near this area. Jungwoo, his legs unmoving, lowered his hands and analysed the driver. 

He sat, slouched almost, his hands resting cockily atop the steering wheel with one eyebrow raised cockily. His ears stuck out comically, pierced so heavily that they were more metal than flesh. His face was handsome and his features strong, but this was hardly visible through the intense purple bruising. He looked quite out of place at wheel of such a car. 

“Beep beep, did you order a taxi?” He spoke suddenly in a deep voice. His question was inappropriate, given the circumstances, and rendered Jungwoo completely speechless. 

He waited a while, maybe 5 seconds, until he spoke again, his voice unsettlingly upbeat.   
“Well, unless you’re a decorator who goes a bit overkill on red, I’d say that’s a whole lot of blood on your hands. So, I’ll ask again: do you need a ride?”   
Jungwoo’s eyes remained wide and frantic. But, despite this, he began to sheepishly approach the car. He knew that this was most definitely a terrible idea but, what other option did he have? 

As he clambered in the car with uncooperative limbs, Jungwoo stared directly forward, at the place he stood just moments ago. 

An uneasy silence suffocated the car for an excruciating amount of time. It was only broken by Lucas rummaging around in his pocket awkwardly, eventually procuring a scrunched tissue. He offered it to Jungwoo, who accepted it robotically. If he weren’t on the run for murder, he may have laughed at the ridiculous gesture. Did this guy really expect one square of tissue to clean up an entire human worth of blood? 

“So,” The monkey-eared boy began again, “What’s, your name, sweetheart?”   
Jungwoo pondered, the flirtatious tone of the other boy going completely unnoticed. There was no way he was telling him his real name so, he decided to give him his childhood nickname, gifted to Jungwoo by his father.   
“Zeus,” he said, his voice monotonous and his face expressionless. To that, the other responded with a deep chuckle.   
“Oh okay okay, I see how it is. You’re not gonna trust the shady guy who picked you up at 1am in a back alley?”   
Was this guy a joke? Jungwoo snapped his head towards him, definitely not in a laughing mood. His sunken eyes reflected a sincere frustration, possibly even fear. 

The boy in the driver’s seat tugged on his collar nervously and hurriedly rushed to defend himself, spewing words out unnaturally fast.   
“Woah, woah, Sorry Zeus. Don’t kill me alright, I don’t wanna end up like your latest victim. You’re pretty brutal by the look-“ 

“I’m not a murderer!” Jungwoo cried out, raising his voice in a very rare outburst.   
“I didn’t mean to, I swear. I was just protecting, well it was defen-.” 

The other boy interrupted Jungwoo’s rapid confession, shushing him.   
“Slow down there. I’d really rather not know, okay? Keep the gory details to yourself, Hannibal. I’m not gonna hand you in or anything. I’m not really on the good side of the law myself, honeybuns.” He was grinning toothily as he spoke, as if he was proud of being a criminal.

Jungwoo couldn’t believe anyone would choose the way of life that made his stomach turn so violently.

“Oh yeah? What’s your crime then? Death by cheesiness?” Jungwoo hissed, almost offended that this guy wasn’t taking this seriously. He knew that he probably shouldn’t be insulting his one chance of getting out of Seoul, but a dangerous mix of emotions flooded through him and he couldn’t hold back. 

“Actually, I’d rather not know, either,” he continued, “but what I would like to know, is who even are you? I think I deserve as much as a name, considering I’m trusting you with my life.” 

“Well, darling, I can be whoever you want me to be,” the other started, unbothered by Jungwoo’s outburst.   
“ I go by many names. Some call me Lucas, others call me Xuxi, maybe even Yukhei. Hey, you can call me Sex Machine 2000 if you wish.”

Reading the unimpressed glare that Jungwoo directed towards him, he cleared his throat. Eventually, Jungwoo would have to get used to this kind of agonising humour, but tonight wasn’t the night to push it. 

“Or, just Lucas is fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was that, I have Chapter 5 planned so hopefully that will be up soon! Maybe tomorrow? 
> 
> Anyway, follow me on twitter and tell me my writing sucks @moonstrony 
> 
> (also leave a kudos or comment to keep me motivated!)


	5. The Unlikely Bunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Jungwoo and Lucas have stumbled upon the ticking time bomb that is Qian Kun and they’ve decided to bring him along for the ride. Adventure awaits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! This was pretty fun to write and they’re finally all together!!! I’m pretty proud of myself for updating 😎🤝😎 so I hope you enjoy !!!!
> 
> (Same warnings apply! Mentions of suicide, violence and profanities!!)

The night was all a haze, Kun couldn’t even be sure that what he was experiencing was real. Even so, he still stumbled determinedly down the uncharacteristically empty road. The nearest convenience store was still over a block away. What a fucking nightmare. 

Yep, fuck this. 

Kun grew irritated, his unpredictable mood fizzling back down to an immeasurable low. Everything was such an effort, even finding a cigarette or two. He was such a loser, wasn’t he? Without Taeil, he was so helpless, like a child. Kun has no one left to take care of him, to tell him it would be alright, even though he woudln’t believe it anyway. It wouldn’t be alright. And so, for the second time that night, he decided to end it all. But, was it really a conscious decision? The urge to feel nothing burrowed itself down inside Kun, so far, in fact, that it had become a part of him. 

He pressed his back to a street lamp, his feet teetering on the edge of the pathway. Now all he had to do was wait for a car to race down the desolate road. 

Eventually, a distant hum approached. Now was his shot. Kun squeezed his eyes closed, listening carefully. He didn’t want to see the car, no. He was worried he’d hesitate if he did. 

As the hum became an obnoxious growl, Kun prepared himself. This was it. With a sharp breath, he blindly leapt out. This was it. 

Never mind. 

Kun groaned, already feeling the bruises begin to form on his twisted body. This was not what success felt like. Pulling himself back together robotically, he slowly stood up, hissing in pain as he did so. He surveyed the area, finding himself just a few metres away from where he stood on the pavement. 

Definitely not a success. 

Behind him, the headlights of a sport car shone like a spotlight. A tall figure began to approach Kun, his strides long and purposeful. 

He shrugged, spinning around and beginning to limp away, as if he were taking a stroll along the beach, ignoring the incredibly large man that was angrily approaching him. 

Kun had made it all of two metres when he was met with a sharp blow to the temple, sending him crashing down onto the asphalt once again. That single punch hurt more than being hit by a car, literally. Even as Kun’s ears rung painfully, he could make out a distant yelp and the vibration of fast-approaching footsteps. 

God, this guy was a jerk. Moments like these really confirmed Kun’s theory that Taeil really was the last decent man on earth. Can’t a guy throw himself in front of cars in peace these days? 

The tall man loomed over Kun now, his soft, damaged, facial features proving him to be more of an overgrown boy than an adult. He reached down, teeth clenched as he grabbed Kun by the collars of his jacket, shaking him violently. 

“What were you doing, you fucking psycho?” he spat, eyes wide and maniacal. Okay, maybe Kun deserved that. 

“Lucas, back off!” Jungwoo’s soft but insisting voice pleaded as the tall boy continued to clutch tightly at a limp Kun. 

“Oh, fuck off, Tod Sweeney!” he snapped back, his voice a deep growl. 

“Too soon for the murderous barber jokes, don’t you think?” Jungwoo spoke again, firmer this time. 

Kun, who was still receiving quite the beating whilst caught in the middle of this argument, stunned them both to silence by bursting out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Lucas dropped him to the ground like a used toy, taking a nervous step backwards. 

Freed from the grasp of the tall boy’s unnaturally large hands, Kun once again rose to his feet, belly laughs shaking his sickly frame. At this, Jungwoo and Lucas exchanged nervous glances. 

“Wow, you guys are just as fucked up as meeeeee!” he announced, throwing his arms into the air theatrically. 

This caused Jungwoo, who was especially on edge, to wince. Lucas just breathed a perplexed sigh and scratched his head. This night was a fucking roller coaster. 

“I don’t think we should leave him to wonder the streets like this,” Jungwoo whispered.  
Lucas scoffed in reply, shaking his head dramatically.  
“No way, Zeusy. I already picked up a murderer tonight. This guy creeps me the fuck out,” he argued immediately.

“Hmm, he could be fun?” the shorter of the two suggested, watching as the blonde boy spun wildly in the middle of the street. 

Lucas looked at Jungwoo scrutinisingly. Just an hour ago, he was verging on a full break down and now he wanted to have fun? Did he think that Kun was the secret key to this fun? As much as it didn’t make any sense to Lucas, he decided to embrace it. The terror that glazed the older boy’s eyes had settled and, although his expression was still cold, he was visibly calmer. It’s a deal then, Lucas thought. Jungwoo wanted fun and he was going to get it. 

“Fine then,” Lucas caved, “I’ll go get your psycho boyfriend, since you find him so fun. You’re as fucked as each other, anyway.” 

He quickly followed after Kun, grabbing him roughly by the shoulder and spinning him around with ease.  
“Come on then, we’re going on a road trip. We don’t want anyone else’s car covered with your organs, ay?” 

Kun blinked slowly. These guys were wild cards: almost, maybe even equally, as unstable as him. It didn’t take him long to agree to this ridiculous proposal. Decisions never really do take that long when you no longer fear death. The road should have been painted with Kun’s insides and, yet, for some god-forsaken reason, he escaped almost unscathed. 

Some cruel force in the universe clearly was absolutely determined to keep Kun alive. In that very moment, faced by two tragically handsome boys, he decided to take the chance to live, to experience a little adventure. Fuck it, right? The worst possible outcome was the very thing Kun desiree most, after all. There were really no downsides at all.

Once the unconventional three musketeers clambered into the car, with the addition of a dazed Kun in the backseat, Lucas returned to his cocky demeanour.  
“Alright kids!” he announced with mock enthusiasm, “buckle up, we’re going on a road trip!”  
Jungwoo seemed unimpressed by this, his face dark with the addition of sleep deprivation.  
He sighed and stared out the window, resting his bloodied hand on his cheek. What had he signed up for?  
“Woah! What’s with all that blood, pretty boy,” Kun chuckled from the backseat, offensively chipper at such a late hour. “You know, that trend probably won’t take off anytime soon but I admire your bravery. I think you pull it off.” he added, finding himself to be very funny. 

“Oh, it’s not a fashion statement,” Jungwoo replied nonchalantly, “I just killed a guy a couple hours ago.”  
He expected to get at least a little shock factor from this comment, but was thoroughly disappointed,  
“Lucky, I wish that were me,” Kun remarked from the backseat, incredibly unbothered by the newly discovered presence of a murderer in the passenger seat.  
“Ha, me too,” Lucas agreed, smirking.  
Jungwoo’s nose scrunched. What the fuck? We’re these guys turned on by this? 

Without another word, the car hummed to a smooth start, like expensive cars do. Somehow, after a day of questionable decisions, the unlikely trio found themselves together, speeding off into the night. Soon, they would leave the city, and with it leave behind their lives and everything they knew. They were going to have fun, real fun, not the pretend kind of fun, even if it would all come crashing down on them rapidly and irreparably. 

They were no longer the troublemaking misfit, the burnt out barber or the mourning recluse. No, they were fresh kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was that! Adventure awaits and I’m v excited to keep writing. I hope I can update soon eeeeeee
> 
> Leave a comment to keep me motivated and/or follow me on twitter and tell me my writing sucks @moonstrony


	6. Pit Stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sports car carrying three troublesome boys drives along a desolate country road in the early hours of the morning. No money, no destination and not a whole lot of team spirit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I finally updated 🥴🥴🥴. Sorry if this is a bit of a filler chapter but I promise the next couple of chapter are gonna be fun! Enjoy!

Kun rose, like a corpse from one of those old zombie movies, his neck twisted in strange places. He squinted, his vision blurred and his head throbbing. Had he gotten completely wasted again last night? Why did it feel like the world was moving so fast? 

“Oh, I forgot I picked up an escaped lunatic last night,” A deep voice grumbled. 

Huh, voices? This was new. 

As the spots cleared from his vision, Kun examined this unfamiliar environment to the best of his abilities. A car, a really expensive one by the looks of it. The faint odour of blood. He decided not to dwell on that. 

In front of him, in the passenger seat, lay an unfamiliar figure with a mess of carrot-orange hair. It reminded him of when Taeil dyed his hair to the bright colour of a strawberry. He was apparently trying to look “like a sexy cherry” but the colour was painfully vibrant. Of course, Kun found it cute either way. He was always cute.

Then, his gaze drifted towards the driver of this vehicle that had become his bed for the night. He was large in size, with disproportionate monkey ears. His hands gripped tightly at the wheel, his knuckles a sickly purple. Why were they so bruised? Who was the poor soul who bore the wrath of his donkey kong fists?

Oh.

Memories, like a breaking dam, rushed to him. The empty road. The lights that approached like the devil’s glowing eyes. The way Kun threw himself willingly into the path of death, and the way Lucas made sure he paid for it. 

More importantly, he remembered how Jungwoo’s eyes softened when he looked at him. He remembered the pigment of red that stained his hands and his clothes. He wished he didn’t remember that part.

“Oh god, don’t tell me you’re sleep walking, you freaky bastard,” Lucas spoke again, eyeing Kun cautiously through the rear view mirror.

Kun, now almost fully conscious, scoffed.  
“How could I sleep walk in the backseat of a car?” 

Lucas pouted, his eyes sunken and visibly sleep deprived.  
“Maybe if it was a big car..” he mumbled to himself like a petty 7 year old. 

Kun wasn’t willing to engage in childish arguments this early in the morning. No, pettiness was reserved for the afternoon. Instead, he leant back, trying to soothe his cramping neck, the vibrations of the car serving as a makeshift massage chair. 

He allowed the sounds of the road to completely absorb him. The car was comfortably silent, with only a rhythmic rattling from the trunk filling the air. He liked the metronomic sound, it was just loud enough to distract Kun from the sweet memories that threatened to replay themselves. He didn’t enjoy remembering the good times. It only reminded him of how tragic his current situation was. No, the rattling car was definitely much better.

The trio drove without a word along a barren country rode until Jungwoo’s voice interrupted the silence. 

“Hmmm,” he mumbled sleepily, causing Kun and Lucas to snap their heads towards his slumped form. 

“That fucking sound... so annoying,” he complained in a whine.  
“It’s torture.”

“Says you. I’m the one who’s been awake listening to it for 3 hours straight.” Lucas grumbled.

“Hmmm. Fix it then...” The other boy spoke, his quiet voice drifting off,  
“Stupid monkey boy.” 

Kun didn’t engage in the opportunity to bully Lucas but he found his lips tugging into a small smile nevertheless. Lucas seemed like a real piece of work but this orange haired guy.. he was kinda cute, even with the whole murderer thing.

“Alright,” Lucas nodded, “We’ll pull over and sort it out at the next gas station. I’d hate to torture Princess Zeus.” 

His words were mocking but his tone was soft and delicate. Maybe he was a little scared of Jungwoo or maybe he was genuinely endeared by the sleepy boy. It was probably a mix of both. 

The car rolled to a stop at a questionable gas station in where appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. Lucas groaned, swinging the door open and extending his long legs, unfolding his body cartoonishly. 

Kun and Jungwoo followed, gladly welcoming the dewy morning air. Sluggishly, stretching out aching limbs, the group drifted towards the trunk of the car. As Lucas leant to flick the lid open, Kun grasped him suddenly, causing him to flinch. 

“Wait!” He cried out at an unnecessary volume.

“Jesus christ! Don’t do that!” Lucas retaliated.

“No seriously.” Kun spoke, his heavy, brown eyes wide.  
“What if it’s a bomb... or like a body?”

“What body would fit in such a small trunk?” Lucas replied impatiently.

“I don’t know.. like a medium sized dog?”

“Gross,” Jungwoo remarked quietly, causing Lucas to laugh. 

“Okay well it’s good to know that murdering dogs is off limits,”He snorted. “Just humans and maybe cats?” Lucas teased.

“I’m really trying to repress that and you’re not helping.” Jungwoo crossed his arms, stepping away from the car and crouching by the fuel tanks. Kun followed, sliding ungracefully onto the loose gravel beside Jungwoo. 

“Okay, since we’re done theorising, I’m going to open the trunk now, if that’s okay with everyone.” Lucas announced, not receiving a reply from his uninterested partners, who were now tracing patterns in the dusty ground. Their short attention spans were astonishing. 

With a metallic creak, Lucas lifted the trunk. Jungwoo raised his eyes to watch the taller boy, noting how bad his posture was. After a few moments of frustrated fiddling with an unknown object, Lucas froze, his mouth hanging open slightly. Jungwoo didn’t move to investigate. It was probably a family pack of oreos or something. 

In a dramatically slow fashion, Lucas turned to face the others, his face painted with disbelief. He raised a trembling finger, pointed towards the the contents of the trunk. 

“Guys,” he choked. “Either I dropped some mad acid and I definitely shouldn’t be driving or... there’s a briefcase of money in the back of the car.” 

“What?!” Jungwoo and Kun leapt to their feet simultaneously, scrambling towards the car. 

“Wow you guys didn’t wanna see when it was possibly a dog corpse but now that there’s millions of won you’re interested.” He sulked.

“Lucas, holy shit,” Kun choked, his eyes trained on the neatly stacked wads of cash. 

“I mean, of course I assumed you stole this car but I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to steal it from the type of person who has briefcases of money.” Jungwoo added. 

At this, Lucas grinned cheesily.  
“Why, thank you,” He beamed.

“That wasn’t a- whatever,” Jungwoo sighed, still focused on the copious amount of cash before him. 

“Well, if I’d known we had this much money stashed, I would’ve suggested we stopped for snacks a long time ago,” Kun said, his head butting towards the small store, painfully aware of how empty his stomach really was. 

“I guess I’m pretty hungry too,” Lucas agreed. 

He leaned down, taking a fistful of cash and holding it up obnoxiously.

“You think this’ll cover it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on twitter and tell me my writing sucks
> 
> @moonstrony


	7. The Motel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a place to stay and get some shut eye after a seemingly endless night of travelling. However, even getting a room at a cheap motel can come with its challenges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was brave and decided to update 😎😎😎😎! Hope u enjoy this chapter and the little cameo!

To say that Jungwoo was on edge would be an understatement. Every car that drove past gave him a fright and he could never seem to meet eyes with the clerks at gas stations. It was the afternoon and by now, he was sure that someone had found the corpse laid out like a window display in his shop. It was just a matter of time until people would be looking for him and he was concerned that Lucas and Kun didn’t even seem to ponder on this threat. Sure, they were reckless and young, but this is was possible nation-wide manhunt and Jungwoo wished that they would take it a little more seriously. 

The shitty roadside motel was, well, shitty. It was just on the outskirts of Naju which, although wasn’t densely populated, was quite close to Gwangju. Jungwoo has wished that Lucas would have chosen a destination a little more out of sight but he had to remind himself that Lucas didn’t want to protect Jungwoo. He was going on this trip to have unlimited fun with very little interest in staying out of sight. Jungwoo wasn’t exactly sure of Kun’s motives but considering his self-harming tendencies, he assumed that he didn’t really care about staying safe either. 

The trio entered the nearly-abandoned motel rather awkwardly, with no luggage other than the briefcase that Lucas held tightly in his arms. They had all agreed it was much better to keep the money with them at all times, as suspicious as it looked. 

The reception was unsurprisingly empty, other than a fairly young boy who sat at the desk, bobbing his head to whatever music was playing through his headphones. A small TV flashed commercials behind him, although no sound played. He didn’t look up until the three runaways approached.

His eyes widened and his mouth formed an ‘o’ as he scanned over the three. Their clothes were all stained in blood, whether it was their own or not, he was unsure. The three admittedly looked awful. Their eyes were sunken and both Lucas and Kun’s faces were plastered with bruises. They reeked of dried blood and cigarettes, thanks to Kun, and Jungwoo suddenly became hyper aware of this as a result of the receptionists unsettled expression. A sudden stab of embarrassment caused him to hang his head and step behind Lucas like a frightened puppy.

Poking his head over Lucas’ broad shoulders, Jungwoo peered at the name tag pinned to the boy’s hoodie. It read “Mark”. Hm, he must have been a foreigner. 

He hurriedly removed his earphones and straightened up. 

“Hi, welcome. How can I help you?” Mark spoke at a fast pace, anxiously tapping his hand on the desk. Jungwoo hated that his presence intimidated the boy and he gulped guiltily. 

“Can we grab a room?” Lucas spoke, “preferably with three beds.” he added.

“Oh. I’m sorry but we don’t have family rooms.” Mark apologised, “Will a double room be okay?” 

Lucas sighed and looked around at the other two, which caused Mark to visibly flinch. They both shrugged, unbothered and painfully tired. 

As Lucas made arrangements with Mark, Jungwoo scanned the room. Atop of the desk, next to a rusty bell, sat a pile of CD cases. Beside them, a small sign advertised them for 7000₩.  
“The Long Ass Ride: The First Mixtape by Lil Marco.” 

Jungwoo cringed slightly and was about to step closer to investigate until Kun jabbed him sharply in the ribs. He turned to the blonde boy, perplexed. 

Kun smirked playfully.   
“Kim Jungwoo, you’re officially a wanted criminal.” he breathed quietly so that the other occupants of the room couldn’t overhear.

An icy chill ran down Jungwoo’s spine. How did he know his name? What was he talking about? He opened his mouth to question him but Kun motioned towards the TV that sat just behind Mark. 

Fuck. 

There he was. On the screen, his name loud and clear. “Police are searching for the prime suspect in a homicide in the Yeongdeungpo area, Kim Jungwoo.” The image was fortunately quite a few years old, his hair was black and long. Despite that, he was still definitely recognisable. Jungwoo knew that this would eventually happen but he didn’t expect the ache in his chest to be so intense.

Fuck fuck fuck. 

Jungwoo, with his heart rate growing more frantic, drew his attention to Mark, who was now standing. 

“Okay, I’ll just grab your room key.” He announced, turning towards the wall of keys that hung behind him, just beside the incriminating TV. 

Fuck fuck fuck fuck. 

Jungwoo thought fast, like hyper speed fast. 

“Wait!” he wanted to sound calm but the word came out in a strangled cry. 

Mark spun around, almost as nervous as the very pale Jungwoo. 

“Ummmm,” Jungwoo began, trying desperately to hold his attention just until the news segment was over.   
“Lili Marco? Is this your mixtape?” 

At this, Mark’s eyes lit up excitedly and he nodded, a grin that reached his eyes painted across his face. From his reaction, Jungwoo could tell that his mixtape wasn’t exactly selling well. 

“Oh cool cool cool.” he trailed off. He really didn’t want to talk about hip hop with this kid but he really had no choice.

“Um, wanna run me through the tracklist? I’m super into the underground stuff, you know?” He lied through his teeth. 

Mark bounded over to the CDs enthusiastically, falling quickly into an in depth explanation of every track. All 13 tracks. All of them. 

Mark was nearly finished explaining the final track, “When It Gets Risky.” Jungwoo glanced anxiously at the screen behind him. The news report continued, photos of his barber shop, now a crime scene, flashed before him. He focused his attention back on Mark. 

“And even though I’m a virgin, the energy I felt when I was with this girl was what really inspired me to write this. It was more powerful than sex, you know?” 

Jungwoo nodded distractedly. Man this kid could talk. Kun had slumped on a sofa in the corner, watching the ceiling fan spin. Lucas remained leaning against the desk, confused as to why Jungwoo had struck up a conversation about hiphop, but watching with an amused glint in his eyes. 

“And that was my journey to producing this mixtape,” Mark smiled to himself proudly, flipping the CD case in his small hands. 

“Uhhh, that’s super cool, Mark.” Jungwoo smiled, unsure of how to continue the conversation. 

With a smile, Mark turned around to retrieve the key. As he did so, Jungwoo’s face flashed on the screen again, the words above the image urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to inform the authorities. He watched as Mark jolted, she’s trained on the TV. Jungwoo held his breath. 

Fuck. 

Slowly, Mark turned, eyes squinting as he scrutinised Jungwoo’s face. 

For the second time that day, Jungwoo acted fast and on instinct. He reached forward, snatching the stack of CDs up into his arms. 

“We’ll take them all.” He said, clearing his throat nervously. 

Mark stopped for a moment, considering asking further questions. Luckily for Jungwoo, he was swayed by the prospect of selling all his CDs. 

“Oh... yeah okay cool.” He was a little taken aback, placing the key on the desk in front of Lucas. 

“That’s cool,” he continued, “maybe you could sell the CDs to some other people too? Get the word out?” He suggested, pushing his limits.

“I’m not engaging in a pyramid scheme, Mark.” Jungwoo warned, turning to Lucas, gesturing for him to pay Mark. Although still visibly confused, the tall boy obliged, sliding a thick wad of cash over to Mark. 

The young boy took the money, his eyes scanning over it with glee.

Lucas called over to Kun and the trio made their way over to the stair well, waving an awkward goodbye to a satisfied Mark. 

“What the fuck was that?” Lucas leant over to Jungwoo, his tone teasing. 

“That, Lucas, is what I call a very close call,” Jungwoo sighed, shifting the CDs in his arms. 

Lucas scanned over the orange-haired boy with curiosity. This trip, however short it may be, was going to be fun. But first, he seriously needed a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope u enjoyed!
> 
> Follow me on twitter and tell me how shitty my writing is @moonstrony

**Author's Note:**

> please let me know if you’re enjoying it to motivate me to keep writing this mess sjdjdj thanks a bunch 💓


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